Here's a small selection of my work, mainly in craft, health and travel. Just click on the headline. Visit www.adriennewyper2015.com to see more - and contact me for freelance work
Ageing and anxiety: What to know and where to find help
Do you find yourself worrying a lot? Between climate change, Brexit, Covid, and the war in Ukraine – to say nothing of more personal concerns like ageing parents, the rising cost of living, young people’s housing situation, your pension… it would seem unnatural if we weren’t a bit disturbed.
During the Covid pandemic, our background level of anxiety rose, because of the fear of catching it, and the unpredictability of, and changes to, everyday life. The World Health Organisation recently rele...
Walk this May: 31 ways to get moving for National Walking Month
Walking is absolutely the most accessible activity for most people, wherever you are, with no kit needed, and more of us did it during lockdown. During 2020 the number of miles walked per person increased by 7% to 220, the highest levels since 2002. However, now that life has opened up again, our motivation may have waned, but walking is beneficial in so many ways. If you’re walking less now here are some reasons to get back into the habit, for May, National Walking Month.
Boost your memory. ...
Gardening for the future of fashion: Fashion Revolution at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Plants and fashion have been linked for millennia. Plants give us natural fibres for fabrics: cotton, bamboo, linen from flax are obvious examples – less obvious is the nettle family, which gives us ramie, and has been used for at least 6,000 years. Colour has historically come from plants, until Victorian times and the invention of chemical dyes. And plants and flowers inspire fabric patterns, too. In our global world this traditional connection has been lost, and what we wear is likely to b...
Top seven places to see bluebells
The UK is home to half the world's bluebells, the sight and scent of which embody the essence of high spring…
Neolithic North Downs
On a natural terrace overlooking rolling Kent farmland sits Coldrum, the most complete of the early Neolithic 'Medway megaliths'…
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022, Royal Hospital Chelsea
This year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show returns to its rightful place in the gardening calendar: the last week in May, this year from Tuesday 24 May to Saturday 28 May. Last year’s Show was postponed until September by the pandemic, the first time ever that the Show dates have moved in the Show’s 109-year history.
Finding new friends in midlife
Out on a first date once, I knew there wouldn’t be a second when the seemingly nice man opposite me said, ‘I think friends are overrated, don’t you?’…
Cold-weather care kit: the best lip balms, hand sanitisers and hand creams to soothe and protect
The cold winds of winter whipping across the country are harsh on exposed skin, drying it out and stripping it of its natural oils, resulting in chapped lips and cracked hands. Constant hand-washing and mask-wearing doesn’t help the situation.
Don’t sweat it – these natural deodorants will keep you fresh all day
During the stay-at-home season of the pandemic, I often forgot to apply antiperspirant or deodorant, which led me to discover that my armpits aren’t as sweaty as they used to be. And I’m not alone: a Mintel survey revealed that almost a third of us have been applying less deodorant...
Best composite decking 2021: Low-maintenance decking for your garden
If you’re planning to install decking in your garden, and don’t want to worry about constant upkeep, the best composite decking could be what you’re looking for.
Best home waxing kits 2021: Unbeatable ways to wax off unwanted hair at home
If you have any unwanted hair, the best home waxing kits are a great choice for removing it. Whether it’s whisking off a few stragglers on your upper lip, shaping your eyebrows, de-fuzzing your legs or manscaping your entire torso, the advantages of waxing in the comfort of your own home are extremely appealing.
In praise of profanities: why swearing might actually be good for you
As a habitual swearer, I might be biased, but apparently intelligent people are more likely to do it, and it indicates linguistic fluency, rather than a limited vocabulary. And that’s not the only good thing about ‘effing and jeffing’…
How to freshen up your feet for sandal season
The wonderful weather of the past week or so may have put you off your stride, footwear-wise.
Holidays in Europe after Brexit: What you need to know before you go
The rules about how British people go on holiday in Europe have changed since Brexit, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, few of us have been abroad at all since the rules for European travel changed on January 1 2021, so we haven’t yet experienced a trip under these new rules. This compact yet comprehensive guidebook explains what effect Britain leaving the European Union has had on British passports and visas, the Ehic/Ghic, driving in Europe, how long we can stay in Europe, mobile roaming, duty-free shopping and lots more.
10 best garden benches to suit every outdoor space
Sales of garden furniture have boomed, growing by 120 per cent in the first three months of 2021 alone, as many of us continue to socialise outdoors amid the coronavirus and long summer evenings beckon.